Skies Unknown : The Southern Cross
by SWCipherZero
Summary: She was left for dead in the Chopinburg Rainforest. Saved by some unlikely heroes, She went on to fight much later on in the Aurelia-Leasath War of 2020. This is the Story of Tessa "Brownie" Thompson, Golem 2 and "The Southern Cross" Gryphus 1. Spoilers for Ace Combat 7 and X Slight AU.
1. Prologue

**Skies Unknown : The Southern Cross**

SWCipherZero, 2019.

**A/N : Alright, I put In the Zone on hold so I could start this, a little, Headcanon Idea, if you will.**

_Prologue : Constellations_

_Chopinburg, Usea, May 30th, 2024._

"5 years ago, in this very rainforest, which I now call home, my life flashed before my eyes. Why am I still alive? How much blood have I taken just like that predator. I may never know."

This is what I lamented in my head ever since I returned to Usea after an overseas life. I was so naive back then.

My name, doesn't matter, all that does, is that I've saved the world once, fought in two wars, thousands of miles apart, with two TAC names. I can't remember much, but all that does matter is that I'm alive.

My two patches stay on the table I am sitting at now. Two squadrons, Two Air Forces thousands of miles apart. Two very different worlds, but I am only one Person. Controlled by fear, the lack of time, the skies that I once flew, but never will.

The Two Squadron patches read as follows, IUN-PKF, 16th Carrier Group, 506th Fighter Attack Squadron "Golem" and Aurelian Air Force, 1st Tactical Fighter Squadron "Gryphus" those are my deployment records.

"Tess, you sometimes have to forget who you once were and move on."

"I know."

My name is Tessa "Brownie" Thompson.

Golem 2 and Gryphus 1.

_Oured, Osea, 1998_

I was born in Oured, the capital of Osea, the only memory I have from that day is the starry sky I looked up towards and the first Constellation I looked up at.

The Southern Cross.

I didn't know that I would become an icon.

The curtain opens, in 2019, with my training.

_Present_

"Tom, you gotta let up on me, I'm writing a damn book."

"I know, Tess."

**A/N : Just a little teaser before the first real chapter, this is going to be somewhat canon compliant, but I'll explain as we go on.**


	2. Hell

**A/N : School has happened so therefore, not much will happen.**

**Recommended BGM (*) : Area 88 - Good Bye Lonely Blue**

**(**) : How Far to Paradise**

_Chapter 1 : Hell (Charge Assault)_

_McNealy Air Force Base, Osea, March 25th, 2019._

"Congratulations, you've passed," said the head commander of McNealy, my training base. "You are all going to be shipped out to bases around Osea and Usea, until then, you are all going to need callsigns."

_Oh God, Oh fuck._

"Tess has an obsession with Brownies, I think we know what I'm suggesting."

_You Piece of shit._

"Well it's decided then."

I tuned out from then on, there was this other new kid, feisty, Tomas Racette. He got the Callsign "Trigger" apparently. That damn fool, he didn't know what he was in for then, but neither did I.

"Tessa? Is that your name?" he then asked me.

"Yeah, why?" I replied.

"We're both being sent to Fort Grays, and well, that's on the other side of the damn world, s-"

"We're shipping out now, arent we?"

"Y-yeah."

"Oh, before I forget, You're name?"

"Second Lieutenant Tomas Racette, TAC Name 'Trigger'"

"Second Lieutenant Tessa Thompson, Were you the one who requested that TAC name?"

"Some idiot put 20 bucks on the line for me to say it, so yeah."

_Dumbass._

I didn't talk to him until we got to our ride, a C-130 which would ship us out to Fort Grays.

_Fort Grays Air Base, May 14th, 2019, 09:00_

"Brownie, get the hell on the ground before I reprimand you for that stupi-"

"Knocker, shut up!"

it was a rough few months, my Flight lead was an _asshole_ and I mean an _asshole_.

Always reprimanding me for no reason, to the side of my F/A-18F Super Hornet was Trigger's Blue and White F-20A Tigershark, with the Mage emblem on the sides and his personal emblem on the tail.

"Stop trying fancy shit, Trigger, I don't think you need to know why." said Mage 1, God I'd rather have him over Knocker, any day.

"Carrier, This is Golem 2, Call the Ball." I then contacted the Tower of the OFS Albatross, the Fort Grays Air Base Carrier. This thing was old, it had served since the Continental War and had been based here since 2014, it used to house the 118th Tactical Fighter Wing, but now the 506th Fighter Attack Squadron "Golem" was based on it.

"Flaps, Check."

"Gear, Down."

"Hook, engaged."

"Golem 2, Clear to land."

The wheels touched down on the surface and the jolt of the catch was enough to cause minor whiplash.

"Golem 2, You Alright?" said Trigger over the radio.

"Yeah, I'm fine, Still haven't got used to the whiplash."

"Heh."

I walked to the lower decks and was confronted by Knocker.

"You Piece of shit!"

He grabbed my hand before I could slap him.

"I didn't know they would open fire!"

It was just an intercept, that's what it was supposed to be, It turned out to be hell, with several missiles being fired at an Erusean reconnaisance squadron, what the hell were they doing over here?

We'd lost Golem 3 and Mage 3.

"Look, I'm sorry we lost him, bu-"

I stammered off and immediately put my face on the pillow.

I wouldn't leave my room.

_OFS Albatross, May 15th, 2019, 1610 (*)_

"SCRAMBLE, LAUNCH ALL FIGHTERS!"

"ALBATROSS HAS BEEN HIT!"

"GOLEM SQUADRON, LAUNCH!"

It was hell, Launching straight up, right up.

"Mage Squadron, head to runway."

"Get those birds in the sky, we're sitting ducks down here!"

Chaos.

That's when I saw Trigger's Tigershark.

"Mage 2, Fox 1!"

_What the Hell?_

The Bomber I just flew by, exploded into nothing but a ball of flame.

"Mage 2, Splash one!"

"Golem 2, Stay on my ass!"

"The Carrier, woah."

"I know, Mage 2, Fox 2!"

an Erusean MiG-21BiS, went into flames right beside me, I was hesitating on the trigger.

"Golem 2, Fox 2."

I sounded dejected, knowing I was about to take my first life.

"Golem 2, S-splash one."

"Why do you sound so dejected?"

"I just took a life, that's all."

_Welcome to hell, me._

"Golem, Mage, new Enemy Group, 2 MiGs and a Bear."

"Roger, Mage 2, I've got the MiG."

"Easy there Trigger,"

"MAGE 2, MAINTAIN YOUR ELEMENT WITH MAGE 1!"

My heart was now beating faster, when one MiG appeared, it was a red and white MiG-21BiS.

"GOLEM 4, BREAK!"

_Shit._

"Footpad's down, This guy is good."

"Mage 2, Launched, Activating Guidance!"

_What the Hell?_

The MiG suddenly jolted, it evaded Trigger's SAAM,

"How!?"

"Golem 2, Fox 2!"

I got a hit on the MiG.

"Mage 2, Guns!"

The MiG tore itself to bits, The canopy now stained blood red, he couldn't have survived.

I shot down the bomber, 2 kills.

"Mage 2, Fox 1!"

"Golem, Mage, two new enemy groups, 1 Blackjack Identified, 4 Bears and 8 Fishbeds!"

_They are trying to wipe us off the map!_

"WHAT THE HELL ARE THEY DOING!?"

I shouted with no regard.

"This is war, Brownie, just like my Father went through, in this very Tigershark."

Mage Squadron had two F-20s, one in Aggressor Colors and the _Kirin _scheme of Trigger.

"Golem 2, Splash three."

"That wasn't me, That was Golem 3"

Faun stole my kill, that fucker.

Then my Super Hornet jerked right, There was another Fishbed, with Gunpods, It would tear me to shreds, if I hadn't returned fire.

_Why didn't he kill me?_

_Why am I alive?_

_I've taken the life of 25 people, already!_

At least I wasn't Trigger, who had 4 AMRAAMs equipped to his Tigershark alongside the SAAMs.

"Mage 2, Fox 3."

He shot down the 4 remaining Bears, that's when I ate Machine Gun fire to my Engine from one of the Fishbeds.

"SHIT!"

"Mage 2, Fox 1!"

The Fishbed burst into flames.

However all my control surfaces were damaged, I'd have to risk it.

"Golem 2, RTB NOW!"

"Roger."

I had to focus on flying the Damaged wreck back to Fort Grays.

"Gear, Down!"

"GOLEM 2, YOU HAVE NO RIGHT REAR GEAR!"

"FUCK!"

I was gonna crash, There was no way out of it.

(**) I guess I dejectedly could survive.

But I was going to Crash, I lined up with the Runway in an attempt to save the Super Hornet, but there was no hope to save it.

I slammed into the ground at over 200 knots and the landing gear snapped, I skidded to a stop, barely.

I blacked out shortly after.

**A/N : Since Golem 1 has a line where he eats a missile in Mission 1, I would instead have Golem 2 crash the Super Hornet and it will be replaced by a different jet, you'll see later. anyways, R&R and enjoy the remainder of this Story!**


End file.
